To Eternity
by macchime
Summary: Rin is a mermaid, even though she hasn't always been that way. Her one and only dream is to be next to her love, even if only for a moment. But what if she wants him for eternity? RinxLen Noncest
1. Prologue

…**hi. This is Macchi-chan, and I am here in an attempt to write a successful RinxLen Vocaloid story. (I hope it does okay, seeing as how my stories don't typically get reviewed much. But then, I do post in not-very-popular categories) **

**Anyhew, I love to read about Rin and Len, and after being invited to help out with something by KYUUxKYUU and listening to a beautiful song by Rin, I got inspiration for this. The little "challenge" that KYUUxKYUU, some of her friends, other authors, and myself are doing is to do our best to write a story, one-shot, etc. about all of Rin and/or Len's songs. That's gonna be fun XD. So, please enjoy and review. **

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><p>…<strong>I'm not going to show my utter joy of not owning Vocaloid by saying that I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING ASSOCIATED WITH VOCALOID! (at least not yet. I want RinLen and Luka…)**

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><p><strong>Rin: Mermaid<strong>

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><p>Prologue<p>

_The two stood together on the eve of their fourteenth birthdays. As they clasped their hands together on the railing of the ship, they smiled. Tonight, their betrothal would be finalized. In four years' time, they'd be joined in marriage and would rule their kingdom together for as long as Lady Fortune and her sisters would allow them._

_However, their happiness was not to last for long._

_Hearing the rumble of thunder, the boy looked up at the overcast sky. The girl followed his gaze, then set her sights on her love's worried face. He turned back to look at her, smiled reassuringly, and cupped her cheek in his hand. She leaned into his hand, closing her eyes and sighing happily._

_Momentarily, the storm of all storms came upon them. The waters rocked the ship back and forth, and the teens held onto each other fearfully. As their respective overseers called out to them from opposing sides of the ship, they separated reluctantly. A wave of gigantic proportions rose up behind the middle of the ship, then collapsed, breaking the ship in two. The two, in a final moment of peace, reached out for each other while calling out the other's name. As the ship splintered apart, the boy fell to the deck._

_The girl was swept away into the ocean, her eyes latching onto the boy's matching ones, pleading for him to come save her._

_The boy cried out with a mixture of pain, anguish, and fury. He was going to jump into the raging waters to rescue her, but he was pulled into a smaller boat by his attendants and the crew. Everyone who had been on the ship was now clustered into a mass of small boats. Except for the girl. He would have collapsed to the bottom of the boat to mourn, but there was no room left in the boat at all._

_His heart was ripped apart as he knew that he never could, or would, love another for the remainder of his life._

_The girl sank slowly through the strangely calm waters underneath the tempest. She stretched her arm up with all of her dwindling strength in a futile attempt to reach the surface, her cerulean eyes filled up with the ultimate longing for what was above. Her eyes closed and her short golden hair waved around her face with the ethereal breeze of a current. With her last breath leaving her body, she gave up her spirit to whatever deity would receive it._

_Things never go as expected, as everyone was soon to discover_.

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><p>"For everything you desire, you have to pay an equal price in return. You can't get more nor give more. Can't give more or less. Must be in balance. Or else, there'll be "mishaps." "<p>

-Yuuko Ichihara, xxxHoLic

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><p><strong>Yeah. Short. Don't worry, I already have the next chapter written. It's about to be posted…soon. Okay? Soon…as in "five-ten minutes later" soon.<strong>

**I'm not going to beg for reviews, but I will admit, there is nothing an author likes more than reviews. **


	2. Day negative 730

**See? Up really quickly! Even though I'm supposed to be studying…but oh well. I had fun writing this, and I hope you enjoy reading it!**

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><p><strong>Wait while I rejoice for not being responsible for owning Vocaloid. BUT I WILL OWN THE RINLEN AND LUKA ONES SOMEDAY XD**

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><p><strong>Rin: Mermaid <strong>

I opened my eyes. Everything was really fuzzy, so it took a while for me to actually be able to see anything. I waved my hand in front of my face-good. It was there. I laboriously sat up and took in my surroundings. I was in a cave. Past the opening was an endless expanse of blue. I was sitting on a small rock shelf which hung precariously over the clear life-giving water below me.

No. Wait.

I was dangling right over the very waters which took my life away from me. They...took me away from Len, and the wonderful life we were going to have together. I leaned my head back to rest on the side of the cave to collect what I knew. My name is Rin. I just turned fourteen, on the same day as my best friend and one and only-Len Kagamine. That was also the day that we got betrothed. We were on a boat to celebrate. And then...the storm. It came out of nowhere, it seemed. The boat was broken into two. I was separated from Len, and somehow, I had ended up here in this cave. I felt something roll down my cheek. I raised my hand to my cheek and brought it away, the tips of my fingers glistening. Tears. I was crying. Crying...over nothing. It was all over. I would never get away from this nightmare. I curled up into a little ball on my shelf to wallow in my self-pity.

I was jolted awake by an unfamiliar, rather clammy hand. I rolled over from my fetal sleeping position facing the rock to see exactly who-or what-had woken me up from the wonderful dream I was having about this nightmare never happening. A girl-no, her face was childish, but she was a woman-a woman with giant reddish pink drills on both sides of her head. After another blink and a closer look, I figured out that it was...hair. Who woulda guessed? Not me, anyway. Anyway, she was the idiot who had made me wake up. She spoke up in a perky voice, one that grated on my ears. "Oh, so you're awake! Wonderful!" I grimaced as she continued on relentlessly. "I'm Teto! Now, missie. You need to decide what you want to do now. There were some...unfortunate choices that I had to make to keep you alive. Oh well, too bad. At least you're alive! And I bet there's some boy up top that's..." Noticing the tears welling up in my eyes, she finally shut up.

"Oh, I'm so sorry...whatever. So, are you ready to hear your choices?" I nodded emphatically. "Good. So. First, here's your situation. I found you on the bottom of the ocean, dead, but not quite. None of my potions or magic over there," she gestured to a rock shelf that housed a lot of colorful bottles...and it was underwater. "None of them would help. Except for this little darling here. Oh, wait. I don't have it anymore. You do." She smirked. "Now then, what that little orange pill did was keep you alive. There are three side effects, but my magic can only staunch one. One, you lose your voice. Two, you lose your memories. Three..." She trailed off and stared at the now murky water. I followed her gaze while doing my best not to show that I was currently scared out of my wits. Teto refused to meet my eyes, even after I poked her.

"Three...you become like us."

I tilted my head to the side with an expression that I hoped meant that I was confused. Apparently it worked, because Teto took one look at me and sighed. "So you really didn't see, did you?" She paused and stared at the water which rose to her midriff. Wait a second. The shelf was low enough for even a little kid to be able to get up on it from the water. So why didn't she? Maybe...yeah right. There are no such things as magical mermaids or anything like that!

The childish...no clue what to call her now...the childish person slowly lifted herself out of the (inky?) water and set herself down on the rock shelf. I tried not to ogle, while she continued to avoid my face.

_She had no legs._

_She was half octopus._

I was wrong. Oh, was I wrong. There ARE such things as mermaids...I'm not admitting to the magical part...unless, of course, Teto hadn't already admitted to having magic.

Like an idiot, I said the first thing that came to my mind. "Sitting like that looks uncomfortable." Apparently, that medicine hadn't kicked in yet, because I could still talk. The sea witch flushed a bright pink and suddenly became very interested in a small chip in the rock. "So...what is your choice? Voice, memories, or humanity?" Now that she put it that way...I opened my mouth to tell her, but only a whisper came out. Drat! NOW it started! Teto looked back up at me, grinning idiotically until she saw my...um...situation. "Hurry! Tell me! What is it?" I leaned in and whispered my answer into her ear. She slipped back into the water and her idiotic grin grew bigger.

"Well," she stated in her extremely annoying voice, "I suppose I'll see you later!" After she disappeared into the murky water, it cleared up and started glowing. I decided to continue being idiotic, and forgetting I couldn't swim, I took a deep breath, held my nose, and jumped to my doom in the water.

When I opened my eyes again, I had the random cliché feeling that something was wrong. It took a while for me to sit up, but then I yawned and swiveled around to get off of...wait a second. This was a different place than I woke up in last ti-oh. Idiot. That octopus person, Teto, had done something to me, and I knew exactly what it was. I looked down at my legs. Or, rather, where they used to be.

I had a tail.

I.

Was.

A.

**Mermaid.**

I laughed to myself. Guess you don't get to say that every day...wow. It's real. It really happened. I poked the fishy yellowy-orange bottom half of my body, and it twitched just like legs would have. Leaning back, I examined it closer. It looked to be about as long as I was tall when I stood on my legs. Which I didn't have anymore. Teto suddenly swam out of a crevice. She carried a platter of a greyish green stringy thing, which she presented to me. I guess we were under the water, because when she talked, little bubbles floated up from her mouth. "Oh, you're awake again! That's good, that's very good...and you have your tail! Wonderful!" She rushed over to me and began to stroke it tenderly. "Streamlined, you're going to be a really fast swimmer, not many scales that you can see...that'll score you points with the fishies!" I raised an eyebrow warily until I halfway figured out that 'fishies' was some sort of underwater slang term for 'boys.' The, ahem, corkscrewed idiot continued to ramble on. "The color! Oh, the colors! They match your hair perfectly!" I did my best to ignore her as she went on and on about my physical features. Was she some sort of matchmaker? Sorry, ma'am, but I'm already betrothed.

"I forgot!" Teto facepalmed and pointed at the platter of...stuff...on my scaly lap. "That's seaweed! We merpeople eat it a lot down here; it's like meat is for the Upwalkers. So, try it!" She sat down next to me, sitting on top of her hands. I picked up a flimsy strand and dangled it over my mouth, then took a bite.

Have you ever had the last piece of salted pork from the barrel? With all of the extra salt that it picked up from the bottom?

I thought so.

Now imagine that nasty, extra-salty strip of meat, multiply it by ten, and then turn it into leather. Soggy leather. And THAT is what I ate. I gagged, but with a forced smile on my face so I didn't insult the easily disturbed Teto. She grinned, obviously fooled by my act, and then pulled me off of the rock by my arm. "Come on! I need to take you to where you will stay! Oh, wait...do you have any preferences on living arrangements?" I opened my mouth to reply. I did, I know that I did. But I guess I didn't, because Teto stared at my face with a mixture of horror and amusement. "Remember? You can't talk! That was the deal!" I widened my eyes. Oh God...I didn't really think my choice through...

It seems like I'm repeating myself, and I know I am, but I am such an idiot.

I miss Len. He would understand. He would want me back.

Teto asked me about where I wanted to live. Smirking a bit, I think, I pointed my index finger at the surface. Corkscrewed idiot frowned. "You know that's not possible. You and that boy you were talking about before I woke you up that first time are two totally different species now. Mermaids and humans Don't Mix. I know, you love him and will until you die, but you have to get over him. So hurry up and tell me where you want to live."

I wanted to cry. I really did. But...how do you cry if you're underwater? You don't. Those stories about mermaids crying pearls and jewels and stuff like that, they're totally false. Instead of sharp pointy gems and giant orbs popping out of my sockets, what I thought was blue dye formed a translucent watery cloud around my head. Teto grinned and ignored the blue tears that were quite literally staining my face and my short shirt. She put a waxy block and a coral stylus in my hands. "Here. Use this and write what you want to say. Now, tell me what you want." I picked up the coral, pressed the tip into the wax, and began to write.

_**I want to go to the surface. I don't care how long it will take or what I have to give up. I want to go to the surface and see Len.**_

I broke down sobbing again, and Teto did her best to console me. "Rin, I'm sorry, but I can't do that. All I can do is use potions and pills and a tiny smidge of magic. It took all I had just to keep you from losing your memory, not to mention keeping you alive." I stabbed the sharp coral into my tail and bit my lip from the pain as crimson smoke wafted from the wound.

I hate this. I hate it.

I'm glad I lived.

But right now, I wish I hadn't.

Listen to me, babble on and on like a lovesick fool. But then, I suppose that's what I really am.

I allowed Teto to guide me from her cave out into a bustling city about half a mile away. Merfolk rushing around, talking, living just like humans. Lots turned to stare at me. I guess everyone knew everyone here, because I stood out like a sore thumb. Maybe it was the tail. Or the blue streaking down my face. Or my short hair. No one had short hair down here. The girls, anyway. A group of mermaids rushed to surround me and immediately started introducing themselves and asking questions. Hesitantly, I smiled. I got more attention down here than I ever did up top, excepting when I was with Len. Then, he focused on me and making sure I fit in and was happy. I'm still glad he knew his limits. I grinned like Teto and pulled out the wax slab, which I had held on to. I smudged out what I had written earlier and began to answer their questions after I introduced myself.

Life just got a whole lot better.

But not by much.

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><p>"For everything you desire, you have to pay an equal price in return. You can't get more nor give more. Can't give more or less. Must be in balance. Or else, there'll be "mishaps." "<p>

-Yuuko Ichihara, xxxHoLic

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><p><strong>Thanks for reading my ramble. And since you got this far, my story too. Thanks a lot! However, it will probably be a while before I can update again. Maybe. It really depends on when I have time alone in my room with the computer and a finished chapter…I might be updating in the middle of the night for all I know. I've done it before! <strong>

**It would be nice if you reviewed. It would warm this little girl's heart…**


	3. Day 1

**Macchi-chan: Thank you to all five people who reviewed, as well as the one or who people who followed my story. (This is honestly one of the best responses I've gotten XD) Like I said, thanks. But there's one review that really stood out, and I feel like actually replying. Look at the bottom later. **

**This chapter is longer than normal, because what else is a girl supposed to do with no internet connection and a story itching to be written in her mind? Type. And so I did. (I love to ramble…) DID YOU KNOW? If you are gone with no internet connection for three days over the weekend after school is out, the day that you check, you will have over 175 fanfiction update emails?  
>Anyhew, thanks to <strong>

**KYUUxKYUU**

**Moose (anon)**

**Mori-Chan**

**Elizabeth (anon BUT I WISH YOU WEREN'T DX)**

**Dysfunctional Death Angel (who has an account but was too lazy to log in)**

**So. Based on Mermaid by Rin Kagamine. Enjoy chapter two. EDITED**

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><p>~two years later~<p>

It was my sixteenth birthday, so I suppose that it was only natural that I was quieter. I say quieter in saying that I zoned out a lot, according to my friends. I'd made a lot of them down here. There was the idiot Teto, of course, and my best friend Gumi. The green eyed, haired, and tailed mermaid was a star in my night, always encouraging and uplifting me, although nothing could ever take the place of my sun. Even though she loved to talk, she always took the time to read the crabscratch that I would use to communicate with the rest of the underwater community. Said mermaid knocked on the door to my small house carved into a reef. "RIN! RI-IN! OPEN UP!" I lazily propelled myself over to the door, but as I was about to open it, something strange went on. Gumi was silent. That never happens. I more-or-less stood on the fins of my tail, or so it seemed, and peered through a small hole I had drilled through the door.

Now I understand why she was scared. The corkscrewed idiot stood over the cowering Gumi, who looked like she was crying. She probably was. After reluctantly helping Gumi up (you can see I'm such a good friend) I turned to Teto and struck a questioning pose. She only grinned and whispered to Gumi. Gumi's pouting face slowly began to match the witch's. She clapped her hands together and grinned happily at me. "Rin-rin! You're going to love this!" She turned and grinned at Teto, who took up the conversation.

"We finally found a way."

I blinked, confused, and wrapped a strand of my blonde hair around a finger. After a few moments of silence, I widened my eyes as it dawned on me. They were talking about my wish. I could go back to the surface.

I could-no, would-would see Len again.

My tail stopped keeping me upright and I fell to the floor, the blue fog I called tears once again filling my vision and surrounding me. God, thank you! Thank you! Gumi fell next to me and hugged me as I sobbed silently into her orange shirt. Teto, for once, stood awkwardly beside her. "Rin, there's a catch. You know there's always a catch. But it's up to you to choose how to take it." Gumi and Teto helped me to sit on my bed as the octo-woman continued. "I didn't do it. My cousin, Neru, did. I can take you to her home and she'll fill you in there, so get ready and we can go. Don't worry about bringing anything." Gumi looked at me then back at her. "Can I go too? I'm her best friend..."

Teto shook her head, the drills shifting in position to match the movement. "It'd be nice if you could, but I'm afraid not. It took a lot of time just to convince Neru to see Rin, let alone help her. Sorry." Teto pulled on my arm as I grabbed my writing stuff and glanced apologetically at Gumi as I was dragged out into the wide open blue space.

Teto panted to keep up with me. I'd taken to swimming like a normal mermaid, if not more. It was among my few proud accomplishments that only one merperson had ever beaten me, and that was because I had no clue where I was supposed to go. Poor Teto, having to deal with eight unruly octopus tentacles, which were supposed to work together...I sped up until Teto yelled at me. "How am I supposed to show you where to go if you leave me behind? Believe me; you won't want to pass up the offer!" I stopped mid-stroke, turned around, and held up my tablet after scratching on it. _**Fine then. Hurry up before I decide to get out my shears!**_ The corkscrewed idiot blanched. She remembered those shears. Oh, did she remember them. A few months after I settled in, she annoyed me

To

Death.

Let's just say that her hair's a LOT shorter than it was when I first met her.

I turned around and bowed my head. Something's going on. I keep drifting off into different memories on my birthday. It happened a bit last yea-see? I'm still doing it! Teto caught up to me and pulled on my arm, dragging me along and pointing to a large ominous opening to a cave looming in front of me.

"Rin, that's where my cousin lives. Her name is Neru, and I have to warn you, she's addicted to, um, 'keeping in touch' with the entire kingdom. We suspect that she even has a few Upwalker contacts-" Teto's little introduction was suddenly broken off as a slightly low-pitched voice boomed out from inside the cave. "TETO, I KNOW IT'S YOU, AND I BET YOU HAVE THAT GIRL WITH YOU! STOP BLABBERING OUTSIDE AND GET ON IN HERE!" Teto paled. "Did I mention that she has a bit of a temper yet?" I grinned and shook my head. The octopus-lady grimaced and pulled me into the dark cave.

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><p>We swam into a cavern lit by sunlight coming from a hole in the roof. My eyes widened and I immediately swam up towards it. I hadn't touched actual air since...two years ago...but I still didn't get to. Idiot Teto, pulling me back down only so I could be glared at by...by shiny amber...orbs...I shuddered, to say the least. That was scary...until it got scarier. The orbs got bigger and bigger and bigger until-another mermaid swam out into the light. I turned and caught my breath, then looked at her more closely. Her amazingly long blonde hair was pulled off to the side and held up high with a sinew band. Her tail was a sparkly gold, and all-in-all she was really pretty. But her eyes...shifty, glaring, amber eyes...that kept glancing at a shellfish that many teenage mermaids affectionately referred to as a 'cellfish.'<p>

No clue why though.

After what seemed like an eternity of her switching between glaring at me and communicating somehow with her cellfish, she finally turned back to me and Teto. "Teto, dear," she began in an overly endearing voice. "Is this the young halfling you kept pleading for me to help?" Teto shifted and murmured. "Speak up, darling. I can't hear you. You must be losing your voice with old age." Teto gathered her courage, or whatever she had in the first place, and finally spoke up in a squeaky voice. "Yes, she is, Neru. Won't you help her? Please?"

Neru reluctantly motioned for her shimmery yellow cellfish to go away, and then swam over to me. "You want to be human? You really want that?" I nodded emphatically, then scribbled on my tablet and showed her. _**I want this a lot. It's all I've wanted since I came down here. It's all I ever will want again, I swear!**_ Neru grinned crookedly.

"Then I suppose it's a deal. I'll allow you to go to the surface as a human. But, there will be a price. An extravagant one, I might add. For now, all I will ask for is your fin in exchange for your legs. I'll hold onto this for now." Neru held up a glowing mandarin orange shell. "This is your voice. I suppose I might lend it back to you, but the price will get bigger and harder to pay back. Do you want it back?" I shook my head instantly. Sure, it'd be nice, but I really don't want to lose anything else. "So, are you ready?" I bit my bottom lip and nodded. I was ready for anything. "Oh, and, one more thing. There is a...um...high possibility that your sweetheart...oh, whatever." She tossed a tablet covered in writing at me, then called for her cellfish and began to...I have no clue what she was doing, actually. "Every so often, I suppose I'll have to tell you something, so watch out for a crab. Don't ask why. It'll tell you what I want, and you'd better do it. Understand? Good. Now goodbye." She snapped her fingers, and something hit me in the back of the head, knocking me out.

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><p>I finally came to when a wave splashed me in the mouth, making me sputter in shock. Wait. Underwater, the only waves that you can feel are the currents so...I HAVE FINALLY MADE IT TO THE TOP! While grinning like an idiot, I began to sink until I remembered that I couldn't swim before I became a mermaid. Thus-I still couldn't. My eyes widened and my jaw dropped, allowing nasty salt water to enter. I did my best to keep afloat, and I was about to drown, I know it, but then I saw a boat. A royal boat, to be exact. I kicked my legs to keep my chin above the water as I waved my hand (the other was holding desperately onto the tablet Neru had tossed me) above my head frantically. I opened my mouth to scream and yell for help, but nothing whatsoever came out. Lucky for me, it was the middle of the day, and a girl splashing noisily about in a silent expanse of nothing creates a lot of ruckus.<p>

Eventually, I was hoisted onto the deck by the crew, many of whom I recognized from my days with Len. But...they didn't remember me, even though I was pretty familiar with them. All of the men looked away or turned around, as the only female besides me onboard draped her long, waterproof-and warm!-cloak over me, making sure that I was completely covered from neck to toe. She led me down to what I assumed was her room below deck. "Dear...you aren't aware that you have nothing on, am I correct?" With a sinking realization, I peeked under the cloak. May someone kill you under there, Neru. I flushed with shame and attempted to indicate that I would very much like to borrow a set of clothing...of course, she didn't understand me at all and persisted on asking me questions about where I came from, who I was, and why I had been floating naked in the water. I simply plopped down onto the ground and waited until the ship reached shore, which didn't take all that long.

The woman led me onshore to where everyone else was unloading the ship. "Miss, do you know where you live?" Seeing my negative response, she continued, "Then I suppose that we'll have to take you to the king and queen and they'll deal with you." She gently grabbed my arm and guided me past a boy with black messy hair and blue eyes. He followed me with his cerulean eyes, I know this because...well...I was still watching him, and then rushed to catch up with me and the woman. He took my other arm and said to the woman in a kind, commanding voice, "I'll take her up to the palace." The woman nodded and left, while I tried not to gape. I knew him! He was wearing that black wig like he did whenever he wanted to be somewhat incognito!

It.

Was.

**LEN!**

I looked around while attempting to pretend that I had no idea who he was, but...I utterly failed. I just wanted to hug him right away! Luckily, I thought about it for a second, because if I did, I'd lose my grip on the cloak and make it fall down and...yeah. I turned away from staring at him, blushing, and remembered the tablet. I suppose I'd have to look at it...wherever he was taking me.

Len(!) led me up to the palace. Yes, he's a prince, but he's not some sniveling, drab, immature thing. He's pretty smart, doesn't have an ego problem, and is all-in-all not quite perfect, but just right for me. His only problem is his infatuation with this one particular import that, because of him, comes to port on a regular basis-bananas. I abhor the things. But it's okay, since every time bananas came though, for some reason, just as many delicious, delectable oranges came in...I shook myself out of my idiotic stupor and tried to stop drooling as he asked me a question.

"So you can't talk now, Rin?"

My eyes widened and I had to bite my lip to stop crying. Apparently, I looked pretty pitiful, (maybe cute...?) because he grinned and ruffled my hair. I tilted my head and scribbled on my tablet. _**How could you tell?**_ He chuckled (since when did he chuckle? He always giggled...) and smiled at me. "If you could, then you would have immediately yelled for attention if you hadn't already killed someone with a verbal attack." I flushed. He knew me almost better than I knew myself. _**Did you give up on me?**_ Len sighed and blew a chunk of dark hair out of his face. "I was about to ask where you'd been for the past two years, but no, I never did. Everyone else swore that the water was stained red, but I never believed them. I," he broke off and looked down. "I just kinda knew that you were alive. That's why I wasn't surprised at all. Well, we're here."

I let go of him and hopped up the steps, making good use of my newfound legs and waited for him to catch up. Len caught up to me with a grin on his face and hugged my neck from the back, planting a small kiss on my unruly blond hair. I froze in place, not completely sure what I was supposed to do now. He whispered into my ear. "Come on. Let's get you to a room where you can stay and then we can go talk to my parents." I nodded, smiling slightly while I leaned into him.

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><p>Len dropped me off at my old quarters, where a maid was waiting. Unlike most of the women at court, she wore her long pink hair down so that it swished around the waist of her black, gold-trimmed dress every time that she moved. She smiled at me and led me to an armoire filled with dresses that I used to wear. After I picked out my favorite, I got dressed and stood on a stool while she tailored it so that it would actually fit me after two years. She didn't actually have to let it out that much, to my utter horror. But what really upset me was the fact that the chest didn't need to be fixed at all...<p>

I knew eating seaweed on a regular basis was bad for my growth.

As she let out the hems on my orange dress, she talked to me. "My name's Luka, miss." She laughed a bit. "You wouldn't believe how much the prince talks about you. He never really got over how everyone mentioned you like you were dead, so he would come here and vent all of his frustrations in here with me. Once, he even said that I was more of a mother than the Queen was. That really brightened my day. You're a really lucky girl, to be able to be near him without all of the pompous formality that all of the other marriage candidates have been forcing him to put up with. Rin, I hope you do well, now that you're finally back by his side." I smiled and wrote on my tablet. _**I'm glad that no one so far has really been bothered by the fact that I can't talk**_. She blanched slightly. "Oh...I didn't leave any room for you to talk, did I?" Nodding, I showed her the tablet again. _**Thanks for it. I hope that you continue.**_ She smiled at me. "Thanks, you really are a darling." As she left my room, she added, "Len should be back here in about an hour, so rest up. I'll continue to be your maid and I hope that you can put up with me. I shall see you again after supper!"

After securely blocking my door and comfortably positioning myself on my bed, I took out the tablet that Neru had given me and began to read it.

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><p><em><strong>1) I don't care about you and your relationship with the prince.<strong>_

_**2) I took your mortality as a price. That means that, unless something happens, you'll have to come back and be my slave until I die.**_

_**3) You have two days to either come back without him or kill him to stay human and not suffer that much.**_

_**4) If neither happens, you'll just dry up into a shell and I'll have your soul for my experiments.**_

_**5) Pretty much, I don't care about what happens. Just die one way or another, okay?**_

* * *

><p>Wow. That's really caring of Neru. I wiped her writing (which was worse than mine, may I add) off of the tablet and hood it under the bed. Then, I climbed back onto my bed and thought about it all until I fell asleep.<p>

_I hope Len won't be too upset when I die._

* * *

><p><strong>Okay, that was WAAY too much fun for me to write. I just had to add Luka in…AND I WANT TO MAKE MIKU EVIL! (or just plai-okay. Evil in Rin's sense.) <strong>

**I have the feeling that Rin seems a bit too lovey-dovey, but that may just be because…whatever. She's a girl in love…ish…GIMME A BREAK HERE! Anyhew…**

**To Elizabeth: Thankies thankies thankies! Your review brightened my week and made me really want to write! I'm glad that you caught on to my little thing about Teto…**

**To everyone else: Thanks for reading this much, and I really hope that you review, naw, I just hope that you enjoyed my story, is all. I'm thinking of doing a one-shot based off of either ****Dreaming Little Bird ****or ****Butterfly on Your Right Shoulder**** next. What do you think? **

**Well, ja ne, before I ramble on too long (if I haven't already XD) bai bai until next time!**

…**Okay. I really do want reviews. I'm thinking of asking for 10 on my story total until I post the next chapter…after I write it, of course. Bai now!**


	4. Day 1 cont

**Macchi is crying.**

**Unless you have a really strong but soft heart, try not to go into fostering kids. My parents did. We got these two wonderful boys on Sunday, and we lost them today. They left footprints on my heart, as well as on my shirt. I miss them already. **

**Anyhew, thanks to **

**Elizabeth (anon)**

**XxKyeru-TanadaxX**

**Davison (anon)**

**(anon)**

**Chikanpo**

**Dysfunctional Death Angel**

**Varshe05**

**Toan Daxland **

**67rosary-bead42**

**For reviewing. You really made my day, everyone. **

* * *

><p>I was rudely jolted awake by a young prince who was bouncing on my bed. He knows I hate that...but at least he was on his knees. "Ri-n, why would you lock the door on me and Luka?" I took one glance at his messy blond hair put up in a tight ponytail at the back of his head and his concerned blue eyes, then flipped over onto my stomach and buried my face into my pillow. I felt something whack me on the back of my head, so I instinctively moved to slap him. The cheeky brat was holding a paper tablet over my head! He'd stuck the writing utensil behind his ear, so I couldn't get at it and stab him in the chest. Not that I really would...probably. I grinned and sat up as I rubbed the back of my head, and then I pounced. He refused to fall over, and tossing the tablet onto my pillow, Len tackled me and hugged me so tightly that I thought that I was going to die. As he loosened his grip around me, I snuggled into his chest, which wasn't as stick-like as it used to be.<p>

If I was a cat, I would have purred in contentment.

I heard a soft sound come from the window and my head snapped to the direction of the opening. Len's head turned with mine, and as we saw the hem of Luka's skirt enter our view as she climbed down a rope, Len pushed me away so that I was sitting on my pillow and he was perched on the side of my bed. Luka quickly came down the rope and swung into my room, where I guess she found an amusing sight, because it looked like she was having a really hard time keeping a straight face. "What exactly were you two doing? Your faces are bright red!" I squeezed my eyes tight in humiliation as Len explained our...predicament. "I was giving her that writing pad and we started playing around a bit." I facepalmed. Why, Len, why did you have to say it like that? I reached out my arm sneaky sneaky and grabbed the scarf that he was wearing to stay warm, wrapping it around myself. Using the hand that wasn't preoccupied with tugging on Len's unruly bangs, I grabbed the charcoal behind his ear, then grabbed the pad and scribbled on it.

_**Luka. Leave it.**_

Luka frowned, obviously signaling her disapproval of our harmless interaction, and then turned to climb back up the rope while instructing us. "Since someone decided to sleep through last night's dinner and today's breakfast, I suppose you'll just have to wait for lunch. The royal family is having a late lunch, so you two need to be back from gallivanting around town in about five hours." Her pink hair disappeared from our view. I got out of my bed and sat down next to Len. He wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me closer to him. I snuggled in closer and looked up at him expectantly. Len smirked a bit and stood up, picking me up and carrying me to my door then set me down.

I scribbled on the pad as he began to unblock my door and held it up for him to see, tugging on the hem of his cloak to get his attention. _**Do you still love me? Is our betrothal still in effect?**_ He smiled and ruffled my hair as I glared at him indignantly. "Of course, Rin." He opened the door and, taking my hand, ushered me out of the room.

* * *

><p>I somewhat reluctantly drew my hand out of his. He looked at me quizzically as I gestured at my rumpled orange gown and frowned. Len laughed, and I smiled at the sound. "You look fine, Rin! So come on, we have time to go out into the town and have some fun! But first-" He drew out a thick white ribbon from his pocket and tied it around my head, leaving the giant bow standing straight up on the top of my head. He grinned at me. "Can't let you go out without your signature." I grinned and fiddled with the bow. For as long as I can remember, before the storm at least, I had always had a large white bow on my head. Sure, people and nobles laughed, but I didn't care. I loved that bow! And when it got lost...I missed it. But not as much as I missed Len.<p>

While I was busy reminiscing, Len had taken me out of the palace as far as the far end of the moat. "Where do you want to go? The bakery? Market? Or..." I shook my head on every option, and then wrote where I wanted to go on my pad. _**I want to go to that one cove on the beach. You know which one.**_

He grinned and nodded, and as he led me to the beach, I waved happily at all of the people who were staring at me and wondering "how exactly had that weird girl come back from wherever she had disappeared to?"

With my pad under one arm and my slippers in the other hand, I plopped down on the warm sand with Len next to me. In a sense, I kinda missed the ocean. I had lots of good friends down there, and I had always had a lot of fun every day. Len lay back and sighed. "You know, I really missed you. What with my parents trying to set up another marriage between me and that one princess, you know, the one with the long turquoise hair, and learning how to take over the kingdom once Father dies, it's been really rough..." I poked his cheek; not liking the sad look on his face, then lay down next to him, content. "Rin, I hope that nothing bad happened to you. But it is rather odd that you happened to come back right before the marriage negotiations were finalized. Not that I'm upset or anything, but it's certainly surprising." I looked at him and gently brushed a bit of his bangs out of his face. In the process, though, I swept a bit of sand into his eyes.

Len sat bolt upright and glared at me menacingly. I sat up and shrank away from him, unused to this new side. He stood up, grabbed my arm, and dragged me to the ocean. No! Not the ocean! You have NO idea how much I want to stay away from that place! Ignoring my silent pleas of mercy, Len continued to drag me into the nasty, salty water and dunked me. I came up sputtering (deja vu?) and immediately yanked on his outstretched hand, pulling him into the water next to me. He jumped up and shook his head like my sweet little puppy should, then helped me to my feet. I latched myself onto his neck and refused to let go until he relented and leaned over. I pretty much jumped on his back, and then he gave me a piggyback ride, which I enjoyed immensely. As we played around on the beach, Luka came yelling for us.

"Prince! Rin! You're late for the lunch! We need to hurry up and get back to the palace...and clean you up." She looked disapprovingly at our wet, sandy clothes and I grimaced. Why did I have to get my favorite orange dress dirty...? Luka forced Len to let me down, and since we attempted to sneak away from her multiple times, she bought a thick linen piece of cloth from a nearby vendor and tied us to each other and to herself.

Nevertheless, Len and I gave her a very...fun time.

* * *

><p>Once she finally dragged us back to the palace, it was quite a long time past noon. Another maid ran up to Luka and whispered in her ear, and then Luka turned to us with an overly composed expression. "...it seems that the royal family is extremely irritated with you, since you made them wait for a full hour. I daresay that they should make you wait until supper, but they decided to wait for you, since there is something important that needs to happen." Len looked at her, puzzled, as I held up a hastily scribbled on page. He read what I wrote. "...what sort of important thing?" Luka grimaced. "You two won't like it."<p>

"The princess Miku and her entourage are here to finalize the marriage arrangements."

I blinked, not really believing her. No...no way...this wasn't supposed to happen! I was supposed to come here and...I forced that thought to get out of my mind. No. No. I just came here to see Len. That's all I came to do...I think. Apparently, my subconscious had different plans.

Luka untied us, gently saying, "You both need to go change clothes, freshen up, and be back here for the meal in a quarter of an hour." As soon as the linen came off of my wrist, I darted away from Len and his servant as fast as I could. I reached my room, just a bit out of breath, and flopped onto my bed after barricading the door. I seriously gotta stop doing that...this was my second time in a day! At least I have a good reason to sulk! As Len banged worriedly on my door, I ignored him and simply thought. I thought about Len and the fact that he was getting married to a goody-goody princess, and how I should be glad for him because I was gonna die anyway in...oh seaweed. (Yup, I hate that stuff enough to curse with it.) I wasted almost a whole day already! Just a day and a half left, and I was no closer to Len than I was two years ago. If anything, I was farther from my goal.

I.

Am.

Going.

To.

Die.

* * *

><p>Luka knocked on my door. "Rin, I know that that was probably upsetting for you, but you really need to go out there. Len's not that happy either, and you need to be next to him, okay? I'm coming in now." Even though I had three chairs and a heavy chest in front of the door, Luka still got through after wiggling the doorknob. She opened the door with a triumphant smile, waving around a key. "Being a senior maid gives you special privileges, Rin. Don't underestimate a maid, ever." She brought me to my feet and had me stand on a stool as she rifled through my clothes. "This one is still a little short, but I think that you can pass it off." Luka held up a pale orange dress to my...shamefully tiny figure. "Yup. Wonderful. You are going to the meal in this." I wanted to shrivel up. The thing I hated most about Len's family was the fact that they took hours for a formal dinner-slash-lunch thingie. Horrible.<p>

After Luka dolled me up against my will in a record ten minutes and pushed me out the door, I refused to go anywhere, thus forcing her to drag me to the dining hall with all of the royal family.

And her royalness, Princess Miku.

I used to like her. We used to be best friends.

But then I got caught on one of our days outside by some slavers and bought by Len's family. I was one of his servants until we fell in love, somehow found out that I was from a rich and prominent family (I think that Len just made that up so his parents would agree), and got betrothed. Of course, I'd seen Miku on-and-off during my time as a servant, but she never noticed me, because she was always trying to get both Len's attention and affection.

Enough with the sob story.

I was _trying_ to avoid going into the dining hall by holding on to the doors, but as Luka was about to pry me off of the doors and shove me into the hall, Len came walking down the corridor in all his princely glory. I immediately let go of the door and latched onto him from the back. Len laughed. "Rin, Luka, what's going on?" I scribbled on my pad as quickly as I could, trying to get my side of the story out before Luka. _**I don't want to go! I don't want to see Miku!**_ Luka snatched the tablet from Len as he read it. "Len, she's moping because she's jealous." I know I turned bright red, because Len turned around, and once he saw me, he turned bright red too. "Um, Luka...go on to your quarters. I'll get Rin in there."

After Luka left, Len made me let go of him and had me sit down. "Rin, it's fine. I've been protesting the marriage, and with you here, it should affect my parents a bit more. So, let's go in there and show them you're alive." He kissed my forehead lightly and brought me to my feet. I leaned against his chest until he pushed me away. I pouted, and he chuckled. "Not now, Rin. Can't you hear Mother and Father calling?" I scribbled on my tablet. _**Yup. Wish I couldn't, though**_... He grinned. "Too bad." Len offered me his arm and we entered the ominous dining hall.

The first thing I heard is going to stay in my memories forever.

"RIN!"

As for the first thing I felt...well...it hurt. A lot.

I was knocked to the ground as a gorgeous tealette barreled into me, hugging me like she hadn't seen me in two years. Of course, she hadn't, but I think that's a fair enough analogy. Even after I tried to push her off of me, Miku still held on tight and tried to get me to hug her back. I relented and leaned over to hug her back. "Ri-in! I missed you a lot! Where have you been? You weren't near my kingdom, or Len's, because we were looking everywhere! Don't worry us like that!"

I grinned, remembering exactly why I had been her friend in the first place. With that friendly and outgoing personality, she could be friends with anyone, even a shy introverted former maid at her palace. Miku made me let go of her, and then after leaning me back a bit, she looked me over. "Rin! You haven't changed a bit! You're still the same tiny girl you always have been!" Obviously, she didn't remember that I hated it when she brought that up. She, on the other hand, had changed a lot. She was taller, the teal hair put up in twin tails was longer, her aqua eyes were brighter, and there seemed to be sparkles all around her...?

Nah, that was just the light.

Len coughed. "Miku, Rin, I think we should greet my parents?" My head snapped up. Oh seaweed...the king and queen were looking straight at us with the weirdest expressions ever...King Kaito's face was contorted into some mixture of confusion and horror, while Queen Meiko's wine goblet was held up to her mouth and the remnants were slowly dribbling down her chin onto the napkin positioned on her chest to catch every drop. Ignoring them, my eyes wandered to a girl with auburn hair in the back, standing behind the chair that I could only assume was Miku's. The girl's eyes were narrowed at me, and she was holding a cat, which was glaring at me too. The reigning couple stood up. "Len, she's dead, isn't she?" The King spoke up while his wife stood dumbstruck in her position. "Father. Mother. Rin came back yesterday. I believe this means that the prior betrothal is still in effect, then?"

Hearing the Queen's slightly slurred voice, I turned my attention back to them and curtsied, albeit rather...okay. I fell over. Miku giggled along with Queen Meiko, while King Kaito glanced at Len. "Len, I'm afraid that my knowledge of the laws isn't quite to that extent. Go ask Lord Gakupo in the morning." Len bowed. "Yes, Father." "Now, Rin. Where have you been?" I blanched slightly and poked Len. "Father, she can't talk." Meiko jumped off of the slightly elevated platform that she stood on. Yup. She was drinking a long time before we got here. "Weeell then. Oi guess wee'll hafta figgur somfin out fer her, roit?" Kaito came down after her and rested his hand on her shoulder. "Dear, I think that you should go lie down...Iroha, I realize that you are Princess Miku's servant, but would you please escort my wife to her bed?" The glaring girl behind Miku's chair bowed, not daring to oppose the king, I suppose, and then took the Queen's hand and not-too-gently led her out of the dining hall.

King Kaito turned his attention back to us. "You three, we can discuss this predicament further as we eat. So," he gestured at the two chairs sitting around the table on our level. "Rin and Miku, you sit down there. Len shall sit up here in his mother's seat." Len began to protest. "But we have another empty chair at that ta-" A glare from his comically blue-haired father silenced him and he reluctantly climbed up and sat next to his father. I sat next to Miku, who glanced at me worriedly. "Rin...you really can't talk, can you?" I shook my head and, taking out my tablet from a handy pouch at my waist, scribbled a note for her. _**I really can't. Glad to see you though, Miku!**_ She grinned wildly, and I suspect that she was about to hug me until the King spoke up.

"Rin, I want you to tell me everything. Iroha," he glanced at the creepy servant girl who had somehow re-entered the room. "Would you please fetch some paper, a pen, and some ink from the desk beside my bed?" She bowed again and seemed to disappear. Momentarily, she appeared by my side and handed me the supplies, grimacing slightly as my hand brushed hers.

* * *

><p>While I wrote down the...humanized events of the past two years, turning Teto into a doctor of sorts and Neru into the person who gave me passage here, also omitting our deal, the three royals ate. As I finished, I handed my narrative to Iroha, who took it and brought it to the King. With a glance from his father, Len got up and made his way over to Miku and I. "He's going to be reading that for a while, and it's getting rather late, so we have permission to go back to our rooms." He offered his arm to Miku, who grinned at him, and nodded at me. "You can get back to your room, right? I have to take her to hers, so goodnight." Miku piped up in her giggly voice. "See ya in the morning, Rin! We have a lot of talking to do!" I waved goodnight to them as I wondered exactly what had happened during the couple hours that we ate, to make it so late that the sky was dark.<p>

* * *

><p>I opened the door of my room to see a rather angry maid by the name of Luka, who was holding up a scrap of the dress that I'd been wearing earlier today and the pillow that I had been sleeping on last night. A crab was hanging doggedly (or was it crabbedly?) onto the dress scrap and the pillow was stained with blue.<p>

"Explain. Now."

_Goodbye, world..._

* * *

><p><strong>*sigh* I think that that chapter was more of a transitional thing than a chapter. It disgusts me. XD (I DID MY BEST TO NOT MAKE MIKU EVIL! I'm even trying to make her somewhat of a likeable character…) And it was pretty hard to write for me, what with everything going on. <strong>

**Oh, FYI, I'm going to be gone for a while. With no Internet. So, hopefully I can type up enough for another chapter by the time I get back. Possibly. (Toan, I love talking with you. Elizabeth…GET AN ACCOUNT ALREADY XD)**

**Question: Where do you think this story is going to go, and why? **

_**If I like your answer enough, I might…tweak my plans to add it in, okay? So review, answer my question, and make me feel better enough to want to keep typing.**_


	5. Day 2

**Macchi-chan is…meh. **

**Random piece of trivia~Macchi-chan gets homesick **_**very**_** easily…I've been home for two days out of the past three weeks. Wonderful, desu ne? (TOAN I THINK I DID IT RIGHT! XD)**

**Anyhew, I really missed Fanfiction. I think I'm pretty addicted to the mobile version. Botch that. I AM addicted. XD **

**BUT! BUT! During my absence, I FINALLY convinced my parents to let me buy some DS games! I got Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates, but it was moving really slowly and had…nasty graphics. So I took it back to GameSTOP and traded it out for Final Fantasy III! It is AWESOME! (I spy new video game crush coming up…hi, Ingus…BUT YOU'RE STILL AFTER SYAORAN AND ROXAS!)**

**Okay. Thanks. Thanks to **_**XxRedCapxX, stardrop10, Elizabeth, Dysfunctional Death Angel, Toan Daxland, Chikanpo, and 67rosary-bead42. **_**I enjoyed reading your reviews, and I want to thank you exclusively for taking the time to tell me what you think. **

**On to the story~!**

* * *

><p><em><strong>Wait-<strong>_

"No!"

_**Please...just let me get ready for bed then?**_

"...no."

_**Please?**_

"...fine."

"...never mind. Tell me now."

After about an hour of both verbal and nonverbal bickering, I _finally_ got Luka to let me get dressed before I started explaining everything. I plopped down on the edge of my amazingly fluffy bed in my nightgown and stared at the pillow sitting in my lap. I'd seen that shade of blue before, when I was...yeah. That. And then it hit me. That's my tears. That's the color of my tears. I was crying last night...seaweed. I guess that means that there's another thing that I have to look out for. No crying, Rin! (Not that I ever do anyway...and I don't lie to myself either. Nope. Not at all.) Maybe the crab...oh. I'm pretty sure that Neru said something about sending a crab when she wanted me to know something.

I picked the crab up and flipped it over onto its back, revealing a glowing yellowish green button that looked like a rectangle with a small line sticking straight up out of the top left corner. Of course, I pushed it. When it did nothing, I pushed it again. And again. And again. And again.

Let's just say I pushed it a lot.

Luka opened the door just as I pushed it probably for the fourteen-hundred-ninety-third time. (I like pushing buttons.) A split second after, I tossed the crab onto the floor, then winced at the loud crack that the fall made in the shell. Luka rushed over and picked up the crab, then dragged a chair up to my bedside and say down in it. "Rin, I need to know what's going on. I know that there's something fishy-" I winced at her choice of words. "-about you and your sudden reappearance after two years of being dead. Now get to writing on that thing of yours and stop this confusion."

Luka is _**very**_ scary when she wants to be. The entire time that I was writing, she was inspecting the crab. (and pushing the button too!) Whenever I looked up at her, she would shift her attention from the crustacean to me and glare at me. I'd quickly get back to work. Once I finished, she took the tablet from me and started reading it aloud, making everything seem like a story that she was making up as I was going to sleep.

"So...this Teto, she turned you into a mermaid in exchange for your voice?"

Nod.

"And you actually LET her?"

Nod.

"...and you only have one day before you..."

Nod.

Luka sighed and stood up from her seat, brushing off her dress. "Well then, I suppose I'd better let you sleep. I'll help you figure out what to do in the morning." I curled up in my bed as she left me and I promptly fell asleep.

I awoke to a chirping crab. Yes, the crab was making a really weird high-pitched noise over and over and over and over again. I rolled over, wishing that the idiotic thing would just shut up and let me sleep for five more minutes. I reached out my arm and hit it, effectively shutting it up. A minute or two later, Luka shook me awake. Once I could see through my after-sleep foggy eyes, I saw that she was holding the crab. I guess she knew what to do with it, because she pressed and held the button for a few seconds once it started chirping again. A familiar voice crackled into existence, somehow, and I winced at the sound.

"Rin? Hey, Rin. It's Teto, and I have some really good news for you!"

Luka's eyes widened and she glanced at me, then pointed at the crab and mouthed _THAT Teto?_ I nodded. Luka narrowed her eyes and spoke to the crab.

"Hello, Teto. Long time."

"Oh. My. CUTTLEFISH! Luka! Is that you? I haven't heard from you in YEARS! How are you? Everyone's doing fine a-"

"Teto. Shut up."

My jaw dropped at the sound. Or absence of sound, rather. Teto finally shut up...Luka interrupted my silent revelry.

"Teto, hurry up and tell us what it is that you were going to say."

"Oh, okay. Anyway, Rin, I have really good news. Neru forgot all about you! Since some other poor, unfortunate soul came through looking for help, she forgot! That means that you could probably get away with another deal! In other words, your fate isn't sealed! You still have a chance!"

"Teto. Shut up."

I grinned at Luka, who stared at the lap of my nightgown in distress. I followed her gaze and noticed the drops of blue staining the cloth. I wiped my eyes and took out the ever-present tablet as Luka prepared to push the button and shut Teto off. However, she stopped us.

"When you need help, just push the flashy button like I know Luka is about to and it'll put you through to me'n Neru, okay? Be careful, Rin." The light on the crab went faded to a very soft glow. I held up the tablet for her to see.

"So you have a question, Rin? Is it about what you should do next? Because...oh."

_How do YOU know TETO?_

Luka laughed nervously. "...you know, that's a very good question...Anyway." She stood up and brushed off her dress. "We need to get you dressed and out of here for your prince, right? I bet that he and the princess are out there waiting for you." I got up and out of bed and allowed Luka to help me out of my tear-stained (literally!) night clothes and into a dress suitable for the day. Luka held onto the dress and wrapped up the crab in the pillowcase, then shoved me out of my room. I looked around, and seeing Len and Miku walking down the hall and coming my way, dove behind a pot and curled up in a ball to hide. Their footsteps stopped right in front of my ingenious hiding place and Miku spoke up.

"Len? Didn't we see Rin go this way? Where did she go?" Len sighed. "Miku...she's Rin. She's upset. It's only natural that she tries to hide when we come." I glowered behind the pot. That Len knows me too well...

The next thing that I saw was the idiotic face of the person I loved most grinning down at me.

"Good morning, Rin."

I launched from my hiding place and latched onto his neck. He bent down with the sudden extra weight (even if it wasn't that much) and landed on his stomach on the floor next to me, smashing the pot in the process. Miku stood on, trying to hold in a giggle.

"Go-good morn-ning?"

Luckily, none of the shards from the pot had hurt Len, they had scattered away. I'm not really sure how that happened. We all winced as Luka yelled from the room on the other side of the wall.

"LEN! YOU HAD BETTER PICK UP EVERY SINGLE LITTLE PIECE OF THAT POT OUT THERE OR YOU'LL JOIN IT IN THE BONFIRE!"

Said prince paled and turned to Miku and I. "I-I suppose I'd best do as she said...you two go on without me to the beach. I'll get over there as soon as I can, and I'll pick up something for breakfast too, okay?" I nodded my assent as Miku chirped hers. "We'll see you there! Come on, Rin!" The beautiful tealette grabbed my wrist and dragged me out of the castle.

* * *

><p>I rubbed my sore wrist as Miku stood on top of one of the boulders next to the shore, her long hair and dress flapping around noisily in the wind and totally ruining the moment. She got off of the rock and came next to me.<p>

"You know, Rin, I'm not exactly very happy about this marriage arrangement either. There was...someone that I had my eye on at home, and I think he liked me too. So, I'm going to do my best and stop it before it's totally final!" She smiled and clapped her hands together. "That means that you could still have Len! Wouldn't it be wonderful? And then, when we get older and have kids, maybe they'll fall in love and get married and then we can grow older and have grandkids!" I grinned at her silliness and nodded. That actually sounded like a good idea...not like I'd ever let Miku know.

I stood up from where I was sitting and wiped my eyes free of any idiotic blue tears from that sentimental moment, then walked over to Miku and poked her in the side. She looked down at me with a confused look, which only intensified when I hugged her.

"R-Rin? Wh-what's going on? A-are you okay?" I nodded and grinned up at her, then let go of her and reached for my tablet. _**Of course I'm okay, silly. Just...felt like...hugging my best friend after years of not seeing you? **_She squealed in joy and hugged me back.

Of course, Len chose that moment to come walking back with a couple of delicious-looking pastries.

Which he promptly dropped on the ground.

"R-Rin? M-M-Miku? A-Am I interrupting...something? I am, aren't I?" He scrambled to pick up the pastries before they became completely inedible. I rushed over to help him while Miku protested. "No, no, Len! It wasn't anything! We were just talking about the future and Rin hugged me!" I scowled at Miku's explanation as I handed a pastry back to Len, who stood up and brushed off his pants with one hand while holding the pastries with the other.

"Well...if you say so...let's go down to the shore and eat, okay?" Miku and I both nodded, Len took my hand, I took Miku's, and we ran down to our childhood place.

* * *

><p>As we ate those lovely flavored pastries, Miku seemed even more distracted than normal. Her eyes kept darting back and forth, and once she even tugged on my sleeve and whispered in my ear. "Rin...don't you see those shadows...? They're darting all around us...!"<p>

I shrugged her off and Len laughed. I guess he heard her. "Miku, it's a sunny day on the beach. Lots of birds and other animals are going to be going around and making shadows. Calm down and eat, okay?"

Miku threw the rest of her odd leek pastry into the ocean and stood up. "It might be normal, but I still don't like it. I'm going back to the castle, and there's nothing you can do about it." She brushed off her dress and started running back to the castle, just like she said.

* * *

><p>As soon as I couldn't see bright teal hair anymore, I picked up my tablet from its position beside me and wrote on it. <em><strong>Len, Miku said that she didn't like the arrangement! Doesn't that mean that you can call it all off now? <strong>_Len sighed and stood up, pulling me up with him.

"Rin, I'm not sure what I can do. I've been negotiating as much as I can with my parents, but you know how they are. Mother's really stubborn, especially when she's drunk, and Father's just...Father. I...I'm not sure if we'll ever really get approval. This whole time, I've been thinking that love will get us through anything, but I'm starting to lose hope. I mean, I love you, and you have no clue how glad I am that you're back, but-"

Len was cut off as I grabbed him around the waist, hugging him as if my life depended on it. (Which it did...more or less...but he didn't know that.) He hugged me back, but he stopped after a few moments and stepped back a bit. He took my chin, tilted it up a bit, and.

He.

Kissed.

Me!

_He_** KISSED** _me_.

**HE** _kissed me_.

_He kissed_ **ME**.

HE KISSED ME!

It wasn't one of those lustful, passionate, burning kisses that I read about in those...um...detailed romances that I read (that I stole from the Queen's personal section of the library on occasion). It was one of those kisses that was short, sweet, simple, and conveyed every ounce of his affection for me to me. We'd kissed...a couple...of times...before, but nothing like this. This was...just one of the best memories of my life.

Which was quickly followed by one of the worst.

After we...finished, we lapsed back into a hug again. Something flickered in the corner of my eye, but I didn't really pay attention to it.

If only I had.

Something darted behind Len, something with a long brownish-red tail-looking thingie trailing behind it. I heard a -swoosh-ing sound, and then a bit of a-(dare I say it?) a -squelch. Len stiffened and then collapsed a bit in my arms. I fell to the ground, kneeling, and brought him down with me.

I brought a hand away from his back.

It was coated in blood.

His blood.

* * *

><p>…<p>

…

…

…**I DID IT! I TRIED TO KILL LEN! (I have officially joined Vocaloid! XD)**

**I feel…bleh…about this chapter. Not sure what to think about it. Taadaa! It's the climax! …yeah. Not that…outstanding. **

**Review Replies!**

**Elizabeth~ Sorry. Can't really switch Miku out for anyone. I mean, I understand what you mean about Miku being put down and scorned on a regular basis, but she's the only one who fits what I want. Turns out, writing a character makes me like them more. (there's only 8 pages of completed Miku stories! DX On my browser, anyway…) I still value your reviews very highly, and I appreciate your constructive criticism.**

**Toan Daxland~Thanks for putting up with me and my weirdness XD. I enjoy talking to you, and I really hoped that I'm not creating a deus ex machina thingie! I really did try my best not to! **

**67rosary-bead42~Thank you SO MUCH for helping me straighten out the story and ending! I know it might have spoiled it for you, but I'm planning on something that'll surprise even you...unless I have to ask you about it. XD**

**Sadly, I only plan on having a few more chapters, two at the most. Sorry!**

**Oh. Yeah. I forgot. I'm not going to upload the next chapter until...say...either three weeks after this is posted or after I have a total of...30 reviews. I'm going to try this...but if it takes a lee-tle bit longer to...um, type the chapter...it'll have to deal. Okay? 30 reviews? Can we do it, silent readers?**

**Review Question**

_**What are the best not-quite-so-well-known Rin, Len, or Luka songs? Inspiring songs might be used…eventually…**_


	6. Day 2 cont through Day 730

**Huh. That's funny. I say that I want **_**this**_** many reviews, and all of a sudden I have more anonymous reviews than normal. Kinda weird, isn't it? XD Thanks everyone, I got a total of **_**thirty-three**_** reviews, which is…just…spectacular. **

**Thanks to **_**XxRed CapxX, Chikanpo, (anon), Campanella, 67rosary-bead42, XxKyeru-TanadaxX, Mars Djinni Spark (anon), Elizabeth (anon but I still love you XD jk), yuthika vemosa, and stardrop10. **_**I loved all of your reviews, and the immediate response made me want to write.**

**So, I've been reading more fanfictions, and then I reread my story and I'm like "Wow…I really need to work on my writing..." Of course, I realized this **_**after**_** I'd typed up the story. And I really didn't feel like writing it over again, so here you go!**

I tried to scream, but nothing came out.

Oh, God.

God.

Why did thi-nope. Can't think about that right now. Gotta help Len! Oh, God! Len's gonna _die_! He's going to die!

...

I blocked my mind of everything. Everything, except for the fact that if I didn't do something, I was going to lose someone who was more important to me than anything else. I tugged on the skirt of my dress, not that it did any good. The darn thing refused to come off! Curse immaculate tailors! Curse silk threads! Aw, just curse everything! (except Len, please.) However, the lace around the rim came off and I immediately got it over my head. I got Len settled on my lap so that I could see the wound. I bit my lip and tried to staunch it with the wadded-up lace. Once the delicate lace touched the wound, it was stained bright crimson.

The blood was everywhere. On the sand around us, on my dress, on me, everywhere. I knew I wasn't going to last much longer. I mean, I wasn't the one stabbed in the back, but I couldn't stand it! Not the blood. Not the sight of Len dying right in front of my eyes.

God, thanks for sending him into shock and knocking him unconscious. I know that's not really a good thing, but...every frenzied moment that I made wasted another moment of his life that was draining fast.

The last thing I saw before the darkness swallowed me completely was a blur of teal rushing to my side, taking Len off of my lap, and calling for help.

I woke up in my bed.

That's it. I just woke up in my bed with a throbbing headache and one person sitting next to me. Luka looked up from where she was fixing my...black...dress...

"Rin, I'm sorry."

My hands flew to my face as I tried to cover up all of the blue tears that threatened to leak out. I peeked out at Luka, who paled. "No, he's not dead. He's just...fading. Quickly. Do you think that you can move? We need to get you over to his rooms and..." I nodded, the ribbon that was miraculously still there bobbing on top of my unruly yellow mop. After I got out of my bed, Luka firmly held on to my hand and hesitated, then grabbed the crab that was sitting on the nearby desk and held it to her chest. "This might be able to help."

Luka led me into Len's bedroom as tears ran down my cheeks. At the moment, I didn't really care whether people saw them or not, I just wanted Len to be okay. Surprisingly, there was only a single court doctor there, who quickly tried to shoo us away.

"I'm sorry, madams, but the prince is in no condition to be receiving any visitors at the mo...men..." He trailed off and stared at the floor while Luka glided over to him and whispered in his ear, brushing a bit of purple hair out of his face. He quickly flushed and rushed out of the room as Luka came over to me and sat me down in a chair, placing a new tablet in my lap. "Rin, he's not doing well, like I said."

Everything she said went in one ear and out the other, because I was staring at Len. He was pale, way too pale, and he was barely breathing. I caught myself wishing that he was gasping for breath, or _something,_ because then I would know for sure that he was alive, right? I reached over and placed my right hand over Len's left, and started to cry. Len's eyes fluttered open.

"...Rin." The way he said my name, it wasn't a question. It was simply a statement, and he was telling me that we were both still here, right now, in this room. I picked up his left hand and held it up to my cheek as I silently sobbed. "Hey, Rin, it's fine. It's fine. I'm fine, just glad that...you didn't get hurt...too." He cracked a small smile, barely perceptible on his face. "Stop crying, okay? Everything's gonna be okay." I shook my head and he smiled again.

"I love you, okay? So now will you stop crying?" I started to shake my head, but then nodded and bit my lip. Len chuckled. "Atta-Rin." He laboriously sat up and leaned over to kiss me. I obliged, and I didn't care if Luka was there, shyly looking away.

As soon as we broke apart, Len started coughing. With one hand, he held his chest to try to ignore the pain probably shooting through his body from the stab. With the other, he covered his mouth as he continued to cough violently. I stood up and tried to help a little bit, but he shook me off. Len drew his hand away from his mouth and stared at it for a moment, then hid it. I tried to look at it, but he wouldn't let me.

Len spoke up in a hoarse voice. "Luka..."

She nodded. "Yes, sir."

Luka took me by the shoulders and led me into the next room. "Rin, please try to understand. He doesn't want you to see him like this, no matter how much you love each other." I nodded, dumbstruck, and reached for the crab in Luka's hand. She handed it to me. "So...you really are?" I nodded and wrote something to her. _**You talk to them for me. I'll trade anything! I don't want Len to die!**_ Luka looked at me somewhat skeptically. "Rin, I know. I know she's going to drive a hard bargain." I grinned, because Neru had given me the perfect bargaining chip.

Luka sighed and pressed the button. While the crab chirped repeatedly, I bit my lip and looked around, waiting for one of the witches to pick up. Finally, we heard a _click._

"...yes...?"

"Hello, Neru. This is Luka, speaking on behalf of Rin."

"...Rin? Who's that? Don't bother me, I'm busy."

I glanced at Luka and grinned. This was going marvelously!

"Well, if you don't know, you don't need to. All that you need to know is that she has a deal for you, something that would benefit you greatly."

We nodded and Luka read the deal directly off of my tablet.

"This Rin, here, has someone that she needs to have healed. Somehow," Luka winked at me. "Somehow, she came across immortality. If possible, she wants to give up that immortality and sa-"

"Rin. So it's THAT Rin, isn't it? The Rin that came to me a couple days ago, wanting to be human for her precious prince? Well, I suppose it's getting pretty annoying talking for her. Here."

We looked at each other with confusion. What in the world did that idiot mean? I froze and a chill ran up my spine as a crab scuttled onto the windowsill. I walked over to it and picked the crab up. In its pincer was...wow. This is probably the only time I'll ever like Neru.

The crab was holding a glowing orange shell.

My _voice._

Once I picked up the shell, the crab dropped off of the sill, and I knew it was back. I turned to Luka, cradling the shell in my hands.

"Luka, let me talk to her now."

Luka almost dropped the crab we were using and stared at me. "Y-your voice..." I took the crab from the maid.

"Yes, Luka, I'm talking." I hacked. Poor voice, hadn't been used in over two years...

"Hey, Neru. Thanks a lot for the favor."

"...didn't want Teto to kill me with seaweed..."

Oh. That certainly explained it.

"Anyway, I need to save that prince. Someone stabbed him, and I was kinda hoping that I could trade that eternity that you gave me for..."

"You want to trade some of your extra life to save him and stay up there a while longer. I'm right, aren't I? I know I am."

"Actually..."

"Shut up. I know. But...you'll have to pay. We can discuss the payment once you come back down here. I'll give you fifteen years, okay? Now then...I have a call coming in. I suppose I'll have to wish you good luck."

I was about to say something, but the crab disconnected. I set it down on a table, trying to ignore Luka's eyes boring into my back.

"R-Rin..." The life was seriously squeezed out of me as Luka suddenly hugged me. "OhmygoodnessRIN! I'm so glad for you! You somehow squeezed some sort of sympathy out of that Neru! Now you get fifteen more years with Len AND your voice back!" I hugged back, and froze.

Oh God.

_Len._

"Let me go! I have to go see if Len's okay!" Luka released her hug and watched me with a sad smile as I ran out of the room.

I entered Len's room to a spectacle. Thin glimmering strands of golden magic were streaming from me and into Len, who sighed. I rushed to his bedside and held my breath, not knowing whether he was okay or not. Len turned to me and slowly opened his eyes. I swear, I'd never been happier to see those bright blue eyes of his.

"Oh, God, Len! Don't scare me like that! Y-you almost died!" Len cracked a smile. "Hey, Rin. You're talking. Knew you could..." His eyes closed, but I didn't freak out. I knew he was just going to rest. So I leaned over and planted a kiss. To my surprise, he kissed back. Guess he wasn't quite asleep yet.

As I quietly left the room, I looked at Len, who was resting quietly.

"Hey, Len."

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

"Love ya too."

"Yeah, I know."

I smiled to myself as I stepped into the hall and closed the door.

Turns out that Len's stabbed was that strange servant, Iroha. Now she's on the death roll, soon to be excecuted by guillotine. She went missing just a little while after her assassination attempt. The auburn-haired _demon_ turned up again when she tried to kill Len again two years later at our wedding.

Yes, I said wedding.

Len and I were _finally_ married when we were eighteen. King Kaito and Queen Meiko were there, and they assured us that they didn't intend on dying or retiring any time soon, so we could find a nearby house and "settle down and give us lots of grandkids," as a drunk Meiko put it. Miku came with some guy with white hair; I never bothered to remember his name. Miku wanted us to have lots of kids so that one day, her little fantasy would become reality. (Let's just say that lots of people wanted us to have kids...)

Nevertheless, we were both bright red by the end of the reception and hurried out of the hall.

Life was good. But we only had thirteen years left together.

We spent it the best way possible:

_Together. _

**Hm…is that a good enough ending? Of course, it's not the end. I have an epilogue that I'm working on, and I have good plans for it…**

**I've set a goal for my reviews. I'm hoping to get a total of **_**50 **_**reviews by the end of the story, so maybe…**_**40? 45? **_**By the end of this chapter, I want **_**42**_** reviews! Does that sound okay? That's just nine (hopefully more) people taking the time out of their day and telling me that they are enjoying my story, or that I have some things that I need to work on. Anything would be appreciated!**

**Now for a question…**

_**Why does everyone hate Miku? **_

**Really! I'm curious! Tell me, please!**


	7. Day 5,475

**Macchi is effectively in shock.**

**Wow. Just…wow. I ask for 42, and not even expecting **_**that**_** for a while, I end up with **_**47? **_**Oh my goodness, thank you all! Thank you thank you thank you thank you to~**

_**XxRed CapxX –**_**Thank you for helping me out for what, a whole entire week after the last chapter? Oh wow, did I need it. Especially with my special announcement…and yes, someone already does want to know! (O_x) mental overload…**

_**JayJay223**_** –Hey there! Is this your first time reviewing? Sorry if it isn't…but thanks for reviewing! I really enjoyed reading it!**

_**Elizabeth (anon) **_**–Hey there, again! I still adore your reviews, and I look at them every time I need inspiration. I'm sorry for disappointing you with the ending, but…I dunno, it just felt**_** right**_** to me, if you know what I mean. Same for the kinda stinky epilogue. **

_**vocal-maiden**_** –YESH! HAPPILY EVER AFTER! XD Happy days!**

_**varshe05 **_**–It's okay! It just makes me appreciate your review more, knowing that you didn't really have time to read it in the first place…**

_**XxKyeru-TanadaxX **_**–Yes! I understand the Miku conflict completely now…seriously, I do. Ha, I got 47 reviews! (still totally psyched about it…) As for a sequel…I have no clue if that's going to happen. Sorry.**

_**(anon) **_**–I got it done!**

_**stardrop10 **_**–Yes! She was considered a good girl! XD I'm happy now. Yeah, it was kinda bittersweet. This one is too. Oops.**

_**akichanz**_** –Well, I'm glad you like it. I hope that the end doesn't totally crush any dreams of a happy ending…**

_**Ayame Kurosagi **_**–Still. Otaku teacher. That is still epic. XD (Actually, I'm open to either way…but twins are just so cuteeeee~)**

_**67rosary-bead42**_** –Congrats on finishing your story! I DIDN'T PULL A ROSARY! (heehee I'm learning a lot of derogatory fanfic slang in this story…) You know, I hadn't even finished the chapter when you reviewed…oops.**

_**Toan Daxland**_** -I almost wrote your name as "Toad Naxland." Sorry…It sounded like you were disappointed with the last two chapters. I'm still really sorry! I figured out that I can't do long stories!  
><strong>

**Well, thank you to everyone for putting up with me since 23 May, 2011, for seven chapters, 13,525+ words, and 40 pages, as well as my mood changes. Thanks, again. **

Miku had gotten married to that high-status white-headed guy and was now ruling her kingdom with him and all of their kids. They invited us over frequently.

Turns out that Luka had known Teto from her own experiences underwater as Neru's boss. She'd given up her position as the witch to come up to the surface, all to be with that creep who told us to get out of Len's room. Funny what love makes you do, isn't it?

As for Len and I, well...

"So that's you and Papa's story?"

"Yup! That's pretty much the whole thing!"

The blonde mother smoothed back the soft brown bangs away from her child's bright eyes and sighed. Life had certainly been good to her. She had three beautiful children, amazing friends, and a husband who loved her more than almost anything else. (Her children made up the almost.)

Her husband walked into the room with the older kids, Sora and Kaii. One son, one daughter, and the youngest daughter at just six, Kira, sat on her lap. Her three treasures, brighter and more precious than any jewel above or over the ocean.

"Come here, guys."

The children, with the exception of Kira, sat on the floor around their mother, who gazed at them all with a worried expression. The father stood next to his wife as her supporting figure.

"Gems, Mommy has to leave now." Kaii swept her blonde hair out of her face and tied it back with a white ribbon while she tried to interrupt her mother. "Mom, wh-" "Kaii, your mother is trying to tell you something important." The ten-year-old glowered at her father and turned away indignantly to look at her brother, older by two years. "Sora, it isn't fair! Why does Mom have to go?"

The blonde studied the hem of his shirt. "Mom has somewhere that she needs to be. Now be quiet, you're making Kira cry."

The toddler's eyes were indeed watering as she played with the stones on the necklace hanging around her mother's neck. "Mommy has to go...love, Mommy." Kira stood up on her mother's lap and hugged her neck.

"I love you, Mommy. See you soon." "Yeah," Sora and Kaii chorused as they stood up and hugged their mom. "Love 'ya, Mom." "Mhm. Come home soon, okay, Mom? Love you." The young mother bit her lip nervously and looked up at her husband, who smiled at her. She picked Kira up off of her lap as she stood up, and then put her daughter in her son's arms.

"Kids, can you go please? I need to talk to your dad..." She gave each of her children one last hug, then turned to her husband as her children exited the room together, crying softly.

"...I'm sorry that I won't be able to help you when your parents..." He smiled and wiped away the blue tears that threatened to roll down her face at any moment, and then kissed her lightly. "Don't worry about it. Sora is very bright, and he'll be a big help. Kaii's doing wonderfully at taking care of Kira, too."

"But-"

"I said not to worry. We'll all be just fine, even you."

"Be kind about it when you tell them, okay? Tell them that I'll be watching over them."

"I know, I know. We've known this day was coming for a long time."

"...the older two were starting to catch on..."

The man smiled and kissed his nervous wife. "Don't think that I'm trying to kick you out. All I'm trying to do is reassure you. We'll all be fine. You're going to be fine, so stop freaking out and worrying about it, okay?"

The mother of his children smiled up at him.

"Yeah, I know."

After one last hug just inside the door to their home, the young woman tied back her short blonde hair and looked at her husband.

"Don't kill the kids, okay?"

"I won't."

"Or tell them that I'm coming back soon."

"I'll let you do that."

"...don't get your hopes up..."

"I haven't."

"..."

"..."

"Hey, Len. I love you."

"I love you too, Rin."

Rin smiled and turned away from her home, making her way to the ocean shore. There, a former maid kneeled next to a corkscrew-haired mermaid with the tentacles of an octopus.

"It's time."

The mermaid broke away from the hug between herself and the maid and turned to Rin.

"Have a good life?"

"...yeah. I did."

"Ready? Neru's waiting for you down there."

"I guess I am. Bye, Luka."

The pink-haired lady smiled and hugged Rin quickly.

"I'll watch over them, okay?"

Rin nodded, tears falling freely and staining Luka's dress. She pulled away and smiled at Teto, who was holding out her hand, beckoning for Rin to come with her.

"Luka?"

"Yes?"

"Tell Len...I'm going to see him sometime, okay? Might not be for a while, but I'm going to try."

"Next Sun's Day sound okay?"

"Yeah."

"Midnight?"

"Yup. If I can get out without Neru..."

The blonde stepped into the shallow blue water and watched as her friend walked away, waving. After she couldn't see her anymore, the blonde turned to the octopus lady.

"I'm ready. But feed me one more piece of seaweed and I'll kill you."

As she was led down into the depths of the ocean, Rin couldn't help but think of the conversation she'd had the night before with Len.

_"Hey, Rin?"_

_"Yes?"_

_"Do you think that we'll meet again? And actually be able to be together?"_

_"...yeah. But, that time, it'll be to eternity, right, Len?"_

_"To Eternity. I like that."_

_"Yeah, me too."_

_"For everything you desire, you have to pay an equal price in return. You can't get more nor give more. Can't give more or less. Must be in balance. Or else, there'll be "mishaps." "_

_~Yuuko Ichihara, xxxHoLic_

**Well, there's the end. I thought it was fitting to have that quote up there, since it was there in the prologue too. (maybe chapter 1 as well…) I'm sorry about the ending, but like I said to **_**Elizabeth**_**, it just seemed…right to me. Sorry for any disappointments. **

**As I said to **_**XxRed CapxX, **_**I feel that a story is never over. So, if you want to, tell me in your review about something that didn't seem quite finished to you, I'll mull it over, and possibly write a chapter focusing on that. (The scary thing is that I foresee someone asking about Luka…complex character.) **

**So. I guess that's the end. But it doesn't feel like the end! I need to write something more…if someone would please send me a story idea? Naw, never mind. Don't. Just send me a song! Preferably Rin and/or Len! Ooh…idea…**_**Chivalry**_**, anyone? Maybe **_**Dreaming Little Bird, Festival of Asylum, Excalibur**_**? *eye glints as ideas run through mind***

_**Bye, everyone! Thank you all for reading my story!**_


	8. Iroha's Chapter

She had always been a good girl.

She had been the perfect servant.

She had been her mistress's friend.

But did the mistress ever talk to her anymore?

No, not since the mistress had become infatuated with that _prince._

And once the prince fell for that girl that looked exactly like him, the mistress had become depressed.

Even though the mistress had _her_, the mistress lost her light and refused to shine on her, keeping her out of the dark.

She was slipping.

Everything was slipping, slipping away.

Once the girl was lost, the prince came back, to where the mistress was waiting. But did the mistress still want the prince?

No.

By any chance, did she want to be _her_ friend again?

No, of course not.

The mistress found someone else, someone who wanted her back. The dashing young lord with white hair.

Of course, it _had_ to be the one that _she_ wanted, didn't it?

So, now that she had lost both the mistress _and _the lord, she slipped.

All that was left for her was that one cat.

The cat, the one with the tail that looked like her hair.

Or was it the other way around?

She wasn't really sure.

Since she slipped, she carried the cat around with her. They were always in the same room, never apart.

She also carried a knife in her pocket.

Maybe, just maybe, she would come across the prince, the prince who started this whole mess.

Maybe, once she did, she would kill him.

* * *

><p>She had a dream about it one night.<p>

She woke up screaming, in the middle of the night, but no one heard her, even though she was surrounded by her peers.

But once she had that dream, she slipped even farther.

Now that she had come to terms with the blood and the consequences of murder, she wasn't afraid of anything.

All she had to do was wait.

* * *

><p>The mistress was sad. The mistress was crying.<p>

But_ she _was happy.

The mistress was going to get married to the prince. They had to go to his castle to fix everything so that they would.

The mistress was sorry to her. The mistress told her that the mistress hadn't been good to her.

So wouldn't she like to go to the castle with the mistress to make it up to her?

Of course she would.

Would she like to bring the cat?

Of course. And the knife too.

But she didn't tell the mistress that.

* * *

><p>They had dinner at the castle. The girl that looked like the prince was back, and the mistress was happy.<p>

But she wasn't. She had to serve the king and queen, not the mistress, and the girl as well.

The mistress was happy because now she didn't have to marry the prince.

The mistress told the girl so on the beach.

_She _had followed them.

They all sat down on the beach together, the mistress, the girl, and the prince.

_She_ was watching and waiting.

But the mistress almost saw her, and the mistress left.

Oh well.

The prince and the girl were hugging, and now kissing.

The perfect opportunity.

She took out the knife and stabbed the prince in the back. He fell, and the girl didn't do anything.

She ran away and hid.

She hid in a nearby village as a maid to the leader of the village, until she heard about the wedding.

She wasn't invited to the wedding.

But she went anyway.

The prince was still alive, and was getting married to the girl.

She decided to try and kill him anyway.

She was caught.

* * *

><p>Darkness, darkness was all around her. It was wet, and musty.<p>

She wanted out.

She got out.

She got out, but only when the soldier came to take her. She was taken to the king and queen, and then she was put in the dark again.

She got out again.

But it was only when a group of soldiers came to get her.

It's time, they told her.

Time for wha-oh.

**Time.**

She wanted the cat.

They told her that she would see the cat soon enough.

She nodded, and they took her to the courtyard, where everyone was watching.

She was led up onto a platform, and she saw the mistress crying. The mistress was looking up at her with the saddest eyes that she had ever seen.

But she didn't care anymore.

They asked her if she had any last words.

She told them no.

They put her to the ground and gave her a hard wooden pillow.

In the silence, the mistress sobbed.

In the silence, the girl hugged the prince and refused to look.

In the silence, the king and queen looked on, along with the other people.

In the silence...

_snick_

...it was all over.

* * *

><p><strong>Macchi is silent.<strong>

**Yeah…writing that came way too easily. I like to write like that, where you don't actually say any names. **

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed the final chapter of **_**To Eternity**_**. Your responses made me feel really good about the end. And since one or two people mentioned that they didn't understand why Iroha tried to kill Len (hi, Elizabeth), I wrote this. In 45 minutes. Gah, it was way too fun. **

**I have an announcement. Starting now, all of the Rin/Len stories that I do that are inspired from a song are going to be posted on a collab account. Watch for **

**RIN-UNLIMITED-LEN**

**Yup. That's our account. I'm probably going to repost **_**To Eternity**_** on that account, but leave it on mine as well. Don't worry; I'll still be working on this account. But that challenge that I mentioned in the prologue? That's why we're using the collab account, so that all of the stories for that are posted together. I hope that no one has any qualms about it. But I'm actually pretty excited about it. **

**The next story that I'm doing is going to be on that account. I'm not sure of the name yet, but I do know that it's going to be based off of the songs **_**Paradichlorobenzene **_**and **_**Antichlorobenzene, **_**sung by Len and Rin respectively. (Suggested by Elizabeth)**

**So. I hope that you've enjoyed this. I'm still open for suggestions, but the responses will more than likely be posted on the collab account. (I'm going to miss my reviews…)**

_**Thank you.**_


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